A critical evaluation of neuroprotective and neurodegenerative MicroRNAs in Alzheimer's disease

Currently, 5.4 million Americans suffer from AD, and these numbers are expected to increase up to 16 million by 2050. Despite tremendous research efforts, we still do not have drugs or agents that can delay, or prevent AD and its progression, and we still do not have early detectable biomarkers for AD. Multiple cellular changes have been implicated in AD, including synaptic damage, mitochondrial damage, production and accumulation of Aβ and phosphorylated tau, inflammatory response, deficits in neurotransmitters, deregulation of the cell cycle, and hormonal imbalance. Research into AD has revealed that miRNAs are involved in each of these cellular changes and interfere with gene regulation and translation. Recent discoveries in molecular biology have also revealed that microRNAs play a major role in post-translational regulation of gene expression. The purpose of this article is to review research that has assessed neuroprotective and neurodegenerative characteristics of microRNAs in brain samples from AD transgenic mouse models and patients with AD.